Aid for agriculture
Hon. US Ambassador and US Aid officials have raised serious issues about mismanagement in our agriculture ministry, as reported in a local English daily on October 23rd. The matter needs to be clarified by the government, and the public needs to be informed on these serious issue.
This is essential for improving government's management of the agriculture sector and make it effective. It is ridiculous to ask for further food aid; while earlier funds remain un-utilised!
They stated that our government has not utilised US assistance of over US$ 30 million, lying idle since the last ten years! This was supposed to have been utilised in eighteen months! They stated that without utilising this fund the US will not consider further food aid! This is a very serious criticism of the government by responsible US officials. Will the government respond to this publicly, and explain the reason behind this ten-year delay? Surely, the people deserve an answer to this question.
US officials also stated that with some minor changes in the wheat procurement tender process, the price of wheat could go down! HE the US
Ambassador is reported to have said and I quote: "Improved trade practices mean more wheat at better prices for the people of Bangladesh.
What we seek is a level playing field to allow US farmers to compete fairly to feed Bangladesh's hungry mouths." This is a very serious allegation from the representative of the US government in Bangladesh.
Will our authorities respond? One can only wonder!
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